Caring for Precious Cargo, Part II: Behavioral Techniques for Emergency Aircraft Evacuations With Infants Through the Type III Overwing Exit
Abstract
Infant enplanements are estimated to be approximately 1% of all passenger enplanements. Yet recommended procedures for such precious cargo in emergencies are few. Previous research shows that passenger knowledge is a key factor in determining passenger responses in accidents, underscoring the need for detailed evacuation information and instructions for parents with infants/small children. The present study was conducted to identify a set of procedures to recommend to passengers with infants evacuating an airplane in an emergency, and consisted of evacuations using a Type III overwing exit, reported here, and a Type I floor-level exit with inflatable escape slide (see DOT/FAA/AM-1/18). The information obtained is intended for use in developing passenger education materials and pre-evacuation briefings. Simulated emergency evacuations were conducted from the CAMI Aircraft Cabin Evacuation Facility. Six groups of 32 adults evacuated 5 times. Eight evacuees in each group carried dummies representative of infants 2 to 24 months old. On the first and last trials, no instructions were given as to how the dummies should be carried. On the intervening trials, infant carriers were instructed to carry the dummy horizontally or vertically, or to pass the dummy to another participant who had already exited. Theatrical smoke was introduced on the final trial. Results. MANOVA revealed main effects of carrying maneuver and dummy size on speed of egress. Carrying the infant dummy, horizontally or vertically, gave faster egress than passing the infant through the exit, especially with the smaller dummies. Overall, carriers rated carrying the dummy vertically as easiest, except for the 24-month dummy, which was considered to be slightly easier to pass to another person. For comfort and safety, infant carriers preferred the vertical orientation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA460057
Entities
People
- Cynthia L. Corbett
Organizations
- Federal Aviation Administration